Recently BSI member Don Billington of Liverpool, England requested some background information about his Tillnndsin 'Samantha', which he intended to enter into the world-famous, imminent Chelsea Flower Show 2012 in London. This cultivar name was not in the BCR and after several enquiries drew a blank, I googled the name online. At least 5 European-based websites featured this tillandsia with photos and some details about its commercial release, distribution, parentage and breeding.

These facts lead to the breeder Pamela Koide-Hyatt of Bird Rock Tropicals nursery, in Encinitas, California, who tells her story from here.

"This cultivar is a cross of 2 species which I collected in western Mexico in the early 1980's. The pollen parent is T. knlmbnrheri from the State of Michoacan. The seed parent is T. moorennn from the State of Jalisco. I made the cross in 1989 and harvested the seeds in August, 1991. The progeny show intermediate characteristics of the parents.

This pollen parent T. knlmbnrheri (Michoacan form) is not a very large plant, compared to the form from Oaxaca. The Oaxacan form in bloom stands 4-6 feet tall (120-180cms.) with a very elongated inflorescence, plus a rosette diameter of over 3 feet (1 metre). This smaller Michoacan form has a more digitate inflorescence and when blooming is closer to 2 feet (60cms.) high. Flower petals of both...